{"id":10191,"date":"2025-02-21T11:50:26","date_gmt":"2025-02-21T16:50:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/?p=10191"},"modified":"2025-10-14T15:40:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T19:40:17","slug":"honoring-clarksburgs-legacy-the-enduring-impact-of-black-activism-and-community-in-rocky-hill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/2025\/02\/honoring-clarksburgs-legacy-the-enduring-impact-of-black-activism-and-community-in-rocky-hill\/","title":{"rendered":"Honoring Clarksburg&#8217;s Legacy: The Enduring Impact of Black Activism and Community in Rocky Hill"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"lead\"><!--<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046542.jpg\">--><br \/>\nNestled just off Frederick Road, half a mile from downtown Clarksburg, sits Rocky Hill, one of Montgomery County\u2019s earliest African American communities. Established toward the end of the 19th century, the Rocky Hill neighborhood grew as Black families rented and bought land in and around Clarksburg and built a church and school. As part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/planning\/communities\/upcounty\/clarksburg\/clarksburg-gateway-sector-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan<\/a>, Montgomery Planning is proposing to designate a site and district to the Master Plan for Historic Preservation: The Community of Faith United Methodist Church and Cemetery and the Clarksburg Heights subdivision founded and built by Wilson and Sarah Wims.<\/p>\n<h2>Community of Faith United Methodist Church: A Pillar of Strength<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"metaslider-id-10192\" style=\"max-width: 800px;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-108-0 ml-slider-pro-2-56-0 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-10192 ml-slider ms-theme-_theme_1601499156 nav-hidden\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Community of Faith UMC\" data-height=\"500\" data-width=\"800\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_10192\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_10192\">\n            <ul class='slides'>\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-10201 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-02-21 10:30:50\" data-filename=\"P1046542.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046542.jpg\" class=\"slider-10192 slide-10201 msDefaultImage\" alt=\"A white wooden church with a tall square tower and brown roof stands under a clear blue sky. It has a large arched window and a ramp leading to the front entrance. A tree with red leaves is on the right.\" rel=\"\" title=\"P1046542\" srcset=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046542.jpg 800w, https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046542-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046542-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Community of Faith United Methodist Church, Montgomery Planning, 2024.<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-10202 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-02-21 10:30:50\" data-filename=\"Communityof-Faith-Windows-2024-MPlanning.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Communityof-Faith-Windows-2024-MPlanning.jpg\" class=\"slider-10192 slide-10202 msDefaultImage\" alt=\"Interior of a church with sunlight streaming through two colorful stained glass windows, casting vibrant colors on the wooden pews below. The windows feature geometric and floral designs in yellow, blue, and red hues.\" rel=\"\" title=\"Communityof Faith Windows 2024 MPlanning\" srcset=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Communityof-Faith-Windows-2024-MPlanning.jpg 800w, https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Communityof-Faith-Windows-2024-MPlanning-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Communityof-Faith-Windows-2024-MPlanning-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Stained glass windows in the church<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-10200 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-02-21 10:30:50\" data-filename=\"Wims-headstone-Community-Faith-Cemetery-2024-MPlanning.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Wims-headstone-Community-Faith-Cemetery-2024-MPlanning.jpg\" class=\"slider-10192 slide-10200 msDefaultImage\" alt=\"An old, weathered tombstone surrounded by grass and other graves. It is inscribed with the names George W. Wims and Lillie M. Wims. The area is scattered with flowers, and another gravestone is visible in the background.\" rel=\"\" title=\"Wims headstone Community Faith Cemetery 2024 MPlanning\" srcset=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Wims-headstone-Community-Faith-Cemetery-2024-MPlanning.jpg 800w, https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Wims-headstone-Community-Faith-Cemetery-2024-MPlanning-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Wims-headstone-Community-Faith-Cemetery-2024-MPlanning-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Community of Faith United Methodist Church, Montgomery Planning, 2024.<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-10203 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-02-21 10:30:50\" data-filename=\"Community-of-Faith-Historic-George-McDaniel-Montgomery-History.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Community-of-Faith-Historic-George-McDaniel-Montgomery-History.jpg\" class=\"slider-10192 slide-10203 msDefaultImage\" alt=\"A black-and-white photo of a small, white church with a steeple. The building has arched windows and a set of stairs leading to the entrance. It&#039;s surrounded by bare trees under an overcast sky.\" rel=\"\" title=\"Community of Faith Historic George McDaniel Montgomery History\" srcset=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Community-of-Faith-Historic-George-McDaniel-Montgomery-History.jpg 800w, https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Community-of-Faith-Historic-George-McDaniel-Montgomery-History-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Community-of-Faith-Historic-George-McDaniel-Montgomery-History-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">View of the Community of Faith United Methodist Church, 1978. Source: George McDaniel, Black Historical Resources in Upper Western Montgomery County, Maryland, held by Montgomery History.<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Formerly known as the Pleasant View Methodist Episcopal Church and the John Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church of Clarksburg, Maryland, the Community of Faith United Methodist Church has stood as a beacon for the Rocky Hill community since the late 19th century. After acquiring the property in 1886, the congregation established the burial ground and built a wood-frame church by 1894. After the original church burned in 1924, the congregation enlisted the expertise of Charles W. Spurgeon Graves and Charles Green, two highly skilled African American builders from Washington, DC, to build a high-styled place of worship in a rural setting.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond its role in religious activities, the church served as a vital hub for leadership, activism, education, and social engagement for African American residents, including the Wims, Gibbs, Snowden, Gregg, Harper, and Johnson families.<\/p>\n<h2>The Wims Family: Pioneers of Opportunity<\/h2>\n<p>Generations of the Wims family owned property in Clarksburg, beginning with Benjamin F. Wims in 1886 and followed by Warner and Margaret Wims in 1891. In the 1940s, Warner and Margaret\u2019s grandson F. Wilson and his wife, Sarah L. Wims, built a home for themselves on Frederick Road. Together they ran a construction company where Wilson, who was a master carpenter, builder, and brick mason, led construction efforts, and Sarah managed the office.<\/p>\n<p>The couple were community leaders and activists in Clarksburg, and known for their abundant generosity. In 1951, when a snowstorm marooned several school buses in Clarksburg, they sheltered and fed 30 children stranded overnight because of high winds, snow, ice, and freezing temperatures. Wilson Wims was involved in various organizations, such as the Clarksburg Community Association, Montgomery County Recreation Board, and the Montgomery County Community Action Board. He also served on an advisory committee to Montgomery County Public Schools to expand and improve bus service for children whose lack of transit options left them struggling to attend school. Passionate about athletics, Wilson and his father championed integration through youth sports, emphasizing the importance of sports in easing racial tensions and fostering an inclusive community.<\/p>\n<h2>Clarksburg Heights: A Vision Realized<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"metaslider-id-10205\" style=\"max-width: 800px;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-108-0 ml-slider-pro-2-56-0 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-10205 ml-slider ms-theme-_theme_1601499156 nav-hidden nav-hidden\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Clarksburg Heights\" data-height=\"600\" data-width=\"800\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_10205\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_10205\">\n            <ul class='slides'>\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-10214 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-02-21 10:39:36\" data-filename=\"P1046501.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046501.jpg\" class=\"slider-10205 slide-10214 msDefaultImage\" alt=\"A charming red brick house with a sloped roof, surrounded by lush greenery and blooming bushes. A narrow stone path leads to the front, bordered by vibrant flowers and shrubs under a clear, sunny sky.\" rel=\"\" title=\"P1046501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046501.jpg 800w, https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046501-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046501-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Home in the Clarksburg Heights subdivision, Montgomery Planning, 2024.<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-10215 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-02-21 10:39:36\" data-filename=\"P1046520.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046520.jpg\" class=\"slider-10205 slide-10215 msDefaultImage\" alt=\"Single-story brick house with a two-car garage, front lawn, and driveway. The house features a large window with white shutters and a small porch with a wreath. Trees surround the property, and a car is parked in the driveway.\" rel=\"\" title=\"P1046520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046520.jpg 800w, https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046520-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046520-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Home in the Clarksburg Heights subdivision, Montgomery Planning, 2024.<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-10213 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-02-21 10:39:22\" data-filename=\"P1046495.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046495.jpg\" class=\"slider-10205 slide-10213 msDefaultImage\" alt=\"A two-story house with a mix of brick and white siding exterior, dark shutters, and a covered porch. The front yard is lush with grass, bushes, and a large tree. Sunlight filters through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the lawn.\" rel=\"\" title=\"P1046495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046495.jpg 800w, https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046495-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/P1046495-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Home in the Clarksburg Heights subdivision, Montgomery Planning, 2024.<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In 1963, Wilson and Sarah Wims developed a five-house subdivision named Clarksburg Heights. In Montgomery County, African Americans faced widespread and pervasive discrimination that limited housing opportunities. The neighborhood offered modern, middle-class home-buying opportunities to Black professionals seeking a home in the suburbs. The Wims family sold several homes to educators, allowing them to live closer to their workplaces. At the time, the NAACP estimated that more than 90% of Montgomery County\u2019s African American educators lived outside the county because of a lack of housing choices. Among the subdivision\u2019s residents were Katie R. Harper, Mary E. Johnson, and Edith J. Gregg, who collectively contributed more than 100 years of service to county schools. James R. Gregg challenged discriminatory practices at a Montgomery County country club. In 1976, his successful claim before the County\u2019s Human Relations Commission expanded opportunities for African American residents.<\/p>\n<h2>Preserving a Legacy<\/h2>\n<p>Clarksburg Heights exemplifies the power of community, opportunity, and advocacy. It is a physical representation of African American entrepreneurship and marks a generation of local activism by Rocky Hill residents, who contributed lifetimes of service to the Clarksburg and Montgomery County communities. Montgomery County has recognized the Wims family\u2019s significance in its naming of public schools and athletic fields and including Wilson Wims in the county\u2019s Human Rights Hall of Fame. However, no resource on the <em>Master Plan for Historic Preservation<\/em> represents the couple\u2019s many accomplishments.\u00a0 This designation would correct that omission.<\/p>\n<p>Many Rocky Hill and Clarksburg Heights community leaders, including the Mason, Foreman, and Wims families, are buried in the Community of Faith United Methodist Church Cemetery. The church has provided connection, shelter, support, and education in the Rocky Hill community for almost a century. \u00a0Along with the Clarksburg Heights subdivision, these places serve as links to the past, preserving the legacy of the African American community in Clarksburg.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<div style=\"clear: right; width: 100%;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" style=\"clear: left; padding: 15px;\" src=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Serena-Bollinger.jpg\" alt=\"Serena Bolliger\" width=\"220\" \/><br \/>\n<strong>About the author<\/strong><br \/>\nSerena Bolliger is a cultural resource specialist in Montgomery Planning\u2019s Historic Preservation Office with expertise in hands-on restoration, energy-efficient historic preservation, and researching holes in the historic record. Serena has master\u2019s degrees in museum studies, historic preservation, and urban planning. Prior to joining Montgomery Planning, she worked with historic and cultural resources for Arlington County, Virginia.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p class=\"lead\"> Nestled just off Frederick Road, half a mile from downtown Clarksburg, sits Rocky Hill, one of Montgomery County\u2019s earliest African American communities. Established toward the end of the 19th century, the Rocky Hill neighborhood grew as Black families rented and bought land in and around Clarksburg and built a church and school. As part of the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan, Montgomery Planning is proposing to designate a site and district to the Master Plan for Historic Preservation: The Community of Faith United Methodist Church and Cemetery and the Clarksburg Heights subdivision founded and built by Wilson and Sarah Wims.<\/p>\n<p> Community of Faith United Methodist Church: A Pillar of Strength <\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Formerly known as the Pleasant View Methodist Episcopal &#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/2025\/02\/honoring-clarksburgs-legacy-the-enduring-impact-of-black-activism-and-community-in-rocky-hill\/\" class=\"read-more\">Continue reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[452,718,557,128],"class_list":["post-10191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-planning","tag-black-history-month","tag-clarksburg","tag-historic","tag-historic-preservation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/54"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10191"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10191\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10220,"href":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10191\/revisions\/10220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}